Tom Jones' major health battles and retirement plans after huge operation

Welsh legend Tom Jones has celebrated his 84th birthday after an epic six decades in the music industry, belting out iconic hits, including Sexbomb and It's Not Unusual.

The star who brought us iconic hits, including It's Not Unusual and Delilah, has been regaling his legion of loyal fans for 60 years

Currently performing on his sold-out mammoth Ages and Stages World Tour, The Voice guru says he’s feeling fitter than ever, the Mirror reports.

But worried fans recently urged him to get checked out, after he was spotted on The Voice with a mark on his face.

The star addressed fans in an update on social media with a photo of himself backstage, telling fans how much he was enjoying the tour.

The Kiss singer has endured a number of health battles over the year, including a major double hip replacement.

He has insisted he has no plans to retire from performing anytime soon, saying he'll only hang up his mic if his voice starts to fail.

Last year he said: “Well, thank God my voice is still working. I am 83 years old. I mean I can’t believe it, but it is true. When I am singing I am like, ‘How the hell is this coming out of me?’ Honestly. If the voice was not there I am sure I would be going ‘Urgh, I don’t want to do so many shows’ but I love it as the voice is still working!”

Tom has had both of his hips replaced over recent years, having undergone surgery on his left hip in 2017 and his right hip in 2022. The singer's right hip replacement came after he began to struggle to stand up during his performances on stage as he told the Daily Mail: “Yeah, I can do about four songs without sitting," prior to his surgery.

In 2017, the musician had his first hip operation following constant pain. Described as a "dull ache", a scan illuminated that his cartilage had "gone" in his left hip. "The bones [were] just crunching together," he elaborated.

Tom spoke about his health while at the ITV Entertainment Autumn Showcase last year, in which he gave details of his recovery from a double hip replacement ahead of his latest world tour.

Sir Tom shared another update on his social media pages, in which he thanked fans for their supportive messages and gave an update on his surgery. He wrote: "Papa has two new hips now! For all those concerned and sent in well wishes, I am pleased to report my recent surgery went very well, I'm following orders and doing my physio, so happy to say I will be back soon!"

In a bid to keep his health in check. Tom, who was born Thomas Jones Woodward, cut down on drinking alcohol and adopted a caveman, or paleo, diet. It sees him focus on eating lean meats, fruits, fish, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Speaking on a Radio 2 show about his weight loss, Tom said: "I was putting too much weight on. I didn't think I was going to and I left the working out for a bit, thought I'd keep a check on it.

"But with the Christmas puddings and cakes, before I knew it I was 230lb (16.4 stone) which was 30lb more than I should be. I couldn't get into my suits. That's when I thought: 'This has got to stop'."

Three years ago, Tom revealed how he likes to look after his heath - by hanging upside down like a bat. In a previous interview, he discussed the bizarre action known as "inversion therapy", where individuals flip upside down on a special frame.

In 2021, Tom spoke about the preventative procedure, sharing: "In 2030 I am going to be 90 years old. I hang upside down. You know on one of those frames. "It’s great. You put your feet in the thing and you flip and you hang."

With his voice in fine fettle, his ongoing role as a coach on the ITV show The Voice and his current global tour, it doesn’t look as if the Sexbomb star is ready to slow down any time soon.

Looking back on his life, Sir Tom admitted he is a born performer and has never wanted to share the spotlight. He said: “I had an uncle, my father’s older brother, and his name was Georgie and he was a singing waiter and he used to sing in pubs so I would go and see him.

“I knew that I could sing and I was not frightened of anything. [But] I did not want to be part of a choir in Wales. I wanted to show off.” And, fortunately for his swathes of starry-eyed fans, the showman in him is still very much alive.

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